Raindrops
by Eurgh
Summary: ... I found myself thinking about the way her pretty blue eyes lit up when I answered... AU, Kiotr. Chap Three up.
1. Raindrops

**Hola. I know I should update Refuge, but this popped into my head and I couldn't resist. It's a series of vignettes, AU, all following the same storyline. It'll be out of order. Main pairing is Kiotr, with a little Romy, one-sided Johnda, and other little pairings. **

**NOTE: This is AU; mutants were revealed to the public before the X-Men were even formed. So, the actual "X-Team" is gonna be a lil different. Most of the canon characters, plus some from the comics, will be in here but you might be surprised at how they're introduced. Also, this kinda starts somewhere near the beginning, moves around, and such. So it isn't in chronological order. **

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"Don't you ever get lonely?" She stretched out across my bed on her back with little regard to my personal space. The oversized T-shirt inched up her legs, revealing nothing due to the boxers she wore as shorts. Her shining brunette hair spilled across my comforter, and her pale blue eyes were wide as she looked at me. 

"Lonely?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why would I be lonely?"

That was the first time I heard her laugh. She flipped around onto her stomach and let out that beautiful, cheerful laugh. The high, tinkling sound seemed so out of place in my dark room.

"Well, you obviously don't let anyone get to know you, do you?"

"You've known me for only three hours." I pointed out softly.

"So?" She shrugged. "You're not exactly _special_ or _different_." At this, the corners of my lips tugged up in an involuntary smile. She rolled her eyes. "I've known people like you before. The dark, mysterious type."

"I should have left you in the rain." I looked at her irritably, as if this little beam of life was the cause of any troubles. She laughed again, as if my doubts meant absolutely nothing to her, and stood up. She moved curiously toward the wall, eyeing some of my paintings.

"Are you an artist?" She asked softly. She turned to look at me, and I was immediately stunned by her beauty. Her features were soft in the pale light. Her hair hung over her shoulders, still damp from the rain. The large shirt I had loaned her made her look even more petite.

"I suppose." I looked at the painting rather than her face. "That is my sister."

"She's beautiful." She held her finger a hair's breadth from the oil of my painting. Somehow, I knew the hundreds of meanings to her words. "Where are you from?"

"You are very curious."

"Naturally." She looked at me once more. "But _you_ are very closed off."

"Why were you out in the rain?" I asked instead. I remembered her large, frightened eyes when I had touched her shoulder; as if she were running from something or someone. She was shivering and I couldn't decide if there were raindrops or teardrops dripping down her face. Without thinking, I wanted to help her. This fragile, cold girl seemed so sad that my mouth offered to take her home to warm her up before my mind could stop it.

"Nu-uh!" She giggled. "If you get to be closed off, so do I!"

I pursed my lips. She took one look at this new expression and smiled. It lit up her face like she had turned on some secret light inside herself.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" I asked softly. "Somewhere you need to be?"

"Oh." The smile fell away to show discomfort. "I, uh… I don't really know if I do, I guess."

"You guess?"

Her eyes flitted to my face, and she paused momentarily. Something in her face was familiar.

"I don't know." She laughed sheepishly. "I really need to plan things out better. Now, I'm stuck in New York with nothing to do and nowhere to go."

About an hour later, she was sound asleep on the couch. I suppressed a sigh. What was I doing, inviting a strange girl I didn't know into my home? I had just mastered my fluency in English. I was working for a man that would doubtfully appreciate my bringing a human girl to the apartment _he_ paid for. And, of course, I was a mutant.

It was a terrible idea to let her stay. I should have found out where she lived and taken her home. I should have left her frightened in the street.

But I didn't.

Instead, I cooked her breakfast.

I decided it was worth it once she stumbled blearily into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"God, that was the best sleep I've had in, like, forever!" She grinned at me. "What're you making? I'll totally help if you want."

She seemed much more perky now that she had slept and felt comfortable around me. I frowned at the simple pancakes frying before me.

"That is not necessary, _Katya._"

"Katya?" She repeated, a funny little smile appearing on her face. "You already have a pet name for me? Aw, Petey, I'm touched!"

"Petey?" I echoed incredulously. That girl made me doubt myself constantly; once I had made a decision (or realized I was happy with my stupidity), she made me wish otherwise.

"What's wrong with Petey?"

"My name is Piotr. As I told you yesterday."

"But I can't pronounce it." She rolled her eyes at me. "I don't even know your last name, Pete. And I slept in your apartment!" Her eyes were wide.

"On the couch." I reminded her gently as I put some pancakes on a plate and handed them to her. "Completely chaste, yes?"

"Yeah." She laughed awkwardly. "Ugh. I dunno. My mom always thought of girls that did stuff like this as total sluts. I guess she never really got the whole platonic thing, right?"

I gave a noncommittal shrug. I was trying to sort out my own mind. Why was I so focused on that girl? A girl I'd known less than twenty four hours already intrigued me more than anything I'd seen in America. It was strange that I should act so unnaturally, so out of character.

Then again, I had never been able to stop myself from offering help to someone so innocent that seemed to be in need. I supposed that was all this was, and today I would send her on her way.

And return to my life.

We ate in silence. It was strangely comfortable. This girl, this innocent and mysterious girl, seemed to fit perfectly into my routine. She finished eating before I had even started, and cheerfully hopped down from the bar stool to clean her dishes.

"You don't have to do that." I looked at her, cheerfully whistling as she rinsed her plate.

"Sure. You took me in for the night, and let me wear your clothes." She laughed. "Uh… Anyway, it's like the least I can do for you."

I decided against arguing. I liked the silence and I knew she wasn't going to give in if I bothered. She was not the same girl I had met on the street, sad and terrified, soaked to the bone from the rain. I wondered briefly how old she was. She shouldn't have been out by herself if she was as young as she looked.

"Uh, hello?"

"Yes?" I jumped at her voice.

"I asked if you cared if I used your shower. I'm way grimy!" She shuddered. The rain had washed away whatever grime she spoke of, but I nodded. "Where is it?"

I showed her to my bathroom.

"Your clothes are probably dry now." I mumbled. "Would you like me to get them for you?"

"Aw, Petey!" She teased. "And here I thought I had you all figured out! That'd be like way great."

While she was in the shower, I found myself sketching. I always seemed to sketch when I was thinking, allowing my mind to run rampart and my hands to move of their own accord. I tried to figure out what to do about this little problem. I couldn't stand to be rude and demand she leave. I was raised to treat a woman better than that, no matter her age. At the same time, I seriously doubted her staying would be a very good thing either.

There were dozens of reasons she should leave. She was a human. She was young and innocent- two things that Sabretooth seemed to love destroying. He doubted his employer or fellow employees would enjoy dropping in to find her in the apartment. And, she most likely had her own life. She needed to be in school.

I drew back my hand and sighed. Glancing down at the paper, I saw a smiling likeness of her face.


	2. Capture

**Hey! This story definitely has grabbed my interest. It's fun to write. Please, remember that this does not go in chronological order, so this didn't happen right after the last chapter. It is spread out, but you will generally be able to follow the storyline eventually. If you need any help, ask. Haha. Thank you to those that reviewed, and I hope everyone is enjoying this! **

**Disclaimer (as I forgot it last time): Nothing is mine.**

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Chapter Two: Capture

It's funny how fast things can change.

A phone call can change everything.

I was sitting with Marie when the phone rang. After a momentary debate between letting the machine get it and answering the stupid phone (what can I say? It was a great episode of Monk), I walked into the kitchen and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

I guess I must have grown pale, because Marie shot me a questioning look from the couch. I didn't pay attention.

No.

No, no, no! This was exactly what I had worried about, this was exactly why I had always been so reluctant! And now…

"What?" I managed to ask softly, gripping the receiver as if it were a lifeline. Maybe it was.

"They got him, _petite Chat._" Remy's voice was angry through the phone. I managed to gulp in some air. "The _fou_ bastards got him."

No, no, no, no!

"Remy, this isn't funny." My voice was pathetic, lost in the wave of emotions threatening to push me over the edge. He had to be kidding. He had _promised_ me that Piotr would be fine. He had sworn that nothing bad would come of this, that everything would be okay, that rescue missions never went wrong.

Until now.

"I wouldn't joke 'bout this!" He replied curtly.

"You promised!" I accused him. "You promised he would be safe, Remy!"

"Apparently, the man upstairs had different plans." He gave a weary sigh. I knew he had to be exhausted and nearly as worried as me, but I couldn't admit it. If I admitted it, if I hung up the phone, reality would crash down around me.

_Calm down._

"Well, what's the plan to get him back?" I tried to keep the waver out of my voice. Silence greeted me on the other end. "Remy? There… There is a plan, isn't there?"

"The boss seems to have no rush to get him back." There was no mistaking the fury in his voice.

"What?" I snapped. This was not happening. The Friends of Humanity did not have Piotr. If they did, Magneto certainly wouldn't let his loyal Acolyte rot with those mutant haters. And Remy would never give in so easily, never just abandon his friend so quickly.

It had to be a dream.

"_Petite_? You okay?"

I couldn't really hear him. I was focusing on the distant feeling of waves crashing over me, reality washing in with the tide. I forced myself to take long, calm breaths. Piotr would be fine. He was strong. He was tough. I could save him myself if I had to. I _would_ save him myself if I had to.

For some reason, tears welled in my eyes and left salty tracks down my cheeks.

"_Petite_? Can you hear me?"

I dropped the phone on the floor. It wasn't like it really mattered all that much.

I knew everything I needed to know. I knew that Piotr was being held captive by the Friends of Humanity. I knew that he was most likely going to be tortured or killed. I knew that Magneto had no interest in attempting to save him. I knew that there was little to nothing I could do.

"Kitty?" Marie looked at me, her green eyes wide in worry. "Are you okay?"

"No."

The word was so final, so sealing. This was real. I could have never seen Piotr again. He could have died, knowing only pain and hate in his final hours. Tears stung my eyes. He was so kind, so gentle. What had he ever done to deserve something so cruel? What had he ever done but commit to a life he hated for his sister? But honor a contract he had no choice but to sign?

"What is it, sugar?" She gently touched my arm.

"Piotr."

That single word sent a horrible electricity down my spine. As if he were already dead or worse. As if his name were already impossible to say.

She seemed to understand, because she quietly went to pick up the phone and hear the story from Remy. He seemed to have stayed on the line, because she spoke in hushed tones.

I didn't care.

What did it matter?

Piotr was gone. Maybe forever. At that thought, I felt an overpowering desolation. Nausea crept on me. How could he be gone? Forever? Signs of him, signs of his life, hung all around me. His paintings, his favorite blanket, his endless pile of old movies, his favorite (and disgusting) foods in the pantry. He couldn't have just left. He couldn't have been captured.

I had only known one mutant to survive an encounter with such fierce mutant haters. Piotr hardly stood a chance if Magneto wouldn't try to save him within a few hours.

"… She's crying. No, Remy, I don't think she's okay! Would you be?" I heard Marie arguing on the phone.

Didn't matter.

All that mattered was that I find a way to save Piotr. All that mattered was that he was okay. After that, I could care that I had upset my friends. After that, I could concern myself with this growing hatred of Magneto. But nothing else mattered.

"Hey… Kitty?" Marie gently touched my shoulder. I looked at her. "They'll be back at the base in about half an hour. Can you wait that long to figure something out?"

I didn't exactly have a choice. I didn't know where he was. I didn't know them, and I didn't know how on earth I would save him without help. I gave her a feeble nod.

It was funny that this would tear my world apart. I had known Piotr for just over a year, and he was the most important thing in my life. I knew I could make it through anything with him at my side. And at the same time I knew I couldn't live without him.

It was the strange realization. I had known for some time that I loved him. I had known for some time that he meant happiness, truth, comfort, and love. But I hadn't realized that he was my _everything_. That I wouldn't be able to function knowing he was in danger. I chewed on my lower lip.

That half hour was impossibly long. I spent most of it staring at the glowing screen of the television, watching the moving figures without seeing, listening to the taped laugh tracks without hearing. The entire time, a continuous mantra played through my mind.

No, no, no, no, no…

No, this wasn't happening.

No, Piotr, my life, my love, was not in any danger.

No, we could save him.

No, this wasn't happening.

No, the most important person in my life was not in the clutches of the Friends of Humanity.

No, they weren't going to torture him.

No, they weren't going to kill him.

Staring without seeing. Listening without hearing. No, no, no, no. I couldn't function, knowing he needed help. Knowing he could be hurt and I couldn't do a damned thing.

The time passed slowly, endlessly. Every second was one second closer to something terrible happening to Piotr. Every minute, every little segment of time was less time I had to get to Piotr. The FoH wasn't exactly a peaceful group. Even I, as deluded and stupidly hopeful as I was, knew that there wasn't much luck for him.

And I was scared. Terrified, if you want the truth. As I sat, unable to see, unable to hear, unable to _think_, I felt panic creeping up in my chest and gripping my heart. I couldn't breathe. In all honesty, all I could do what chant my mantra in my mind, circle it over and over, lose myself in its meaning.

No, no, no, no, no…

Breathe, breathe, breathe.

No, no, no, no…

It was funny how easily I could lose myself. How easily my world could fall apart. How nothing mattered more than him.

And how okay that was.

"They're back." Marie told me grimly.

I stood slowly. Did I want to go there? To see his team mates, and know his strong form would not stand with them? To look Magneto in the eye and try to convince him to save the man I loved?

I had no choice.

I let her drive. The car ride was silent. I caught her glancing at me a couple of times, but I found I really didn't care. If I could convince Magneto, I could save Piotr.

That was all that mattered.

To a human or an outsider, one might laugh at this horrifying panic. How could it be so bad? The Friends of Humanity rarely leave a mutant alive in captivity for more than a few days, and chances are that those days are not pleasant. Bigots like Graydon Creed, their darling leader, took _pleasure_ in hurting mutants. Like it was a sport. Like we were little more than animals.

And now he had my sweet, gentle Piotr. More than that, that jerk knew he was an Acolyte, working under Magneto. One of the FoH's biggest enemies.

I was terrified for what that would make them put him through.

I was counting on that to keep him alive long enough to save him.

"Marie. Katherine." Magneto nodded at us casually as we walked in on their little team meeting. Marie nodded. I didn't respond. I was glancing them over, making sure…

And the impossible was true. Piotr wasn't there, in his usual seat with his usual stoic expression. He was gone, lost to our enemies. I felt my throat closing up as fear rose in my throat. I glanced over them again. Magneto, Sabretooth, Mystique, John, Remy…

No Piotr.

No, no, no, no…

"You promised." I looked stupidly at Remy, as if that could make this all right. He looked upset as well, to his credit. I didn't exactly care at the time.

"I was wrong, _petite_."

"So that's it." I glared at him, at John. "That's all you can say. Did you even _try_ to save him? Did you even care?"

Remy had the decency to look guilty. Marie lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. John just shrugged, looking at me.

"Tried at the time, Sheila." He pointed out. "Then the Boss told us to retreat and we followed orders."

"So, _you're_ the one that abandoned him there." I snapped, turning my angry gaze to Magneto. He looked at me calmly.

"I had no choice, Katherine." He said. "More agents were coming, and I could not risk losing another Acolyte to the Friends of Humanity. Mr. Rasputin's loss is a dreadful blow, and we will have to build up-"

"Wait!" I cried out. "We're not even going to try? You're just going to let them hurt him? Let them-" I struggled with the word, "- k-kill him?"

"I can see no other option that does not endanger my remaining followers."

I stared at him dumbly. He had to be kidding. He couldn't have honestly believed that Piotr wasn't worth it. He couldn't have believed that between Remy, John, Marie, and I, we couldn't save him.

"But… He was loyal to you! He honored his contract!" I was practically shrieking at the master of magnetism. "And… And you'll let them kill him! What about me? What about Ilyana? God, what about him?"

His face remained impassive, even as Remy and Marie exchanged a glance.

"Don't you even care about him a little?" I asked desperately, tears threatening to spill down my cheeks. I couldn't _do_ anything without his help. Without his information. Without his followers. "Even if you don't, what about the fact that it's even more mutant blood spilled by _them_? Do you care about that?"

"This is a terrible loss, Katherine." He looked at me gravely. "I will mourn for Colossus. However, I cannot allow more of my team to be endangered on this fool's errand."

"How can you give up?" I demanded. This was entirely unlike Magneto; even I could see that. Why would he just abandon his loyal follower? How could he just abandon him like that? Unless…

Unless Piotr was already hurt.

Unless he would only be going back to retrieve a body.

No! I had to stop those thoughts. It was probably because he expected an ambush. They expected him to return for Piotr. He probably knew that. He probably knew that to send anyone in was to send them on a suicide mission, was to send them to their own capture.

It couldn't be that he was already hurt.

Or worse.

"I am not giving up, child." He still looked calm, but I could detect a trace of anger in his voice. "I simply will not allow more team members to be captured. It is bad enough that they have one member of my Acolytes."

So it was the second thought. I hoped.

"I'm not going to just let him rot there!" I shrieked this time, shooting the terrorist a filthy look. "I'm going to do everything I can to save him!"

"It's too dangerous." John spoke up. "Sheila, you don't know what you're up against."

"So?" I was grasping for straws. "I will do anything to save him. I mean… Wouldn't you? If it was the person you loved?"

Remy and Marie paled, glancing at one another. John looked at me as if I were an entirely different person.

"Well, 'bout time you had a bloody good thought!" He declared. I shot him a dirty look, but glanced over at Magneto. His face was still impassive. Mystique, however, looked slightly intrigued.

"Why would you risk your life for him?" She demanded. "He's as good as dead."

My blood ran cold.

"No. No, he's not!" I insisted. "He'll… He'll be fine. If we get there in time."

"Hate to burst your bubble-" Sabretooth's feral grin indicated he loved the thought of doing exactly that.

"Don't then." I snapped. While I realized snapping at someone that can kill you is not necessarily the best idea, I was luckily saved from dismemberment by Remy.

"We would need transportation."

"It's thirty minutes away." I felt a small glimmer of hope bubble up in my stomach. He might help me. He _had_ to help me.

"By orb." Remy reminded me lightly.

"Gambit, you cannot be considering her ludicrous ideas." Magneto glanced at my Cajun friend with distaste. "If I thought there was any chance that Colossus could be saved without losing more lives, I would do it."

"No, you wouldn't." I grumbled. "You're too selfish. You don't care."

"You are lucky that I know you speak only from emotion." He glared at me now. "And very fortunate that I did care for Colossus and that my harming you would have upset him. Such luck is rare."

"Thank God I have it then." I rolled my eyes, and looked at Remy.

"_Petite_, let's get you home." Remy gently took my elbow and lead me out. Marie followed, her green eyes wide in sympathy for me. John came out soon after, running to catch up with us.

"So, Rem, how're we pullin' this off?"

"Sh!" The Cajun shushed him. "The walls have ears, Johnnie. We'll talk back at Petey's, _oui_?"

I had help.

There was next to nothing I could do.

But I was going to try.


	3. Endearing

**Hola. Apologies for the long time no update. My computer was broken in the interweb department. Haha. But it's all better now, so an update!

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"Hey, Petey, the Boss has a job for u-"

The fiery topped Australian's voice stopped suddenly. I suppressed a groan. Why did Magneto supply each of us with a key to one another's homes? It caused certain problems… Such as-

"Hey Rem! This is rich!" His cackling laughter carried into my room. "He's got a _Sheila_ in his bloody apartment!"

"You serious?" Remy obviously walked in, if one were to guess from the very masculine and dramatic gasp that followed. "A _tres belle femme _at that! Petey, where'd you pick her up? Might want one myself."

"What?" Kitty's delicate shriek caught my eyes. I heard no trace of fear or flattery in her tone; in fact, her annoyance was plainly obvious. This was clearly a situation in which I would be forced to intervene. With a loud sigh, I forced myself to walk out to the living room. Kitty was perched on the couch. She didn't looked shocked or concerned as most girls would in such a position.

In fact, she looked as if she were preparing to attack them. I was almost concerned.

"_Katya,_ they are bothering you?"

"If I say yes, will you, like, kill them?" She gave me a sad look. "Like, seriously. Ugh much?"

"_Katya_?" John echoed. "Damn! Sheila, he's got you a nickname! Are you like a feline in the bedroom or something?"

"Shove it!" She shrieked.

"… In you." Remy exchanged a glance with John. They burst out laughing. She leapt to her feet, and I had the distinct feeling she was planning on phasing them into the floor and leaving them. While this made quite the mental picture (I do believe a small grin crept onto my face), I did not quite know the ill effects this might have on my comrades (and, occasionally, friends).

"_Katya_, these are my comrades. Remy and St. John." I gestured to them, hoping to stop her from harming them. She gave me a look that clearly said my aversion techniques had failed.

"Pleased to meet you, _Katya_." Remy did a poor imitation of my accent and he bent down to kiss her hand. Despite his good looks (which I had expected to sweep her away once she got a full look at him), she merely looked irritated as she jerked her hand away.

"Like, normally, that might be sweet. But you obviously don't think with your brain, so I could guess you might have, like, ulterior motives." She narrowed her eyes, and he grinned helplessly.

"_Je suis desole, mais j'ai attendé pour _Petey _et-_"

"I don't, like, speak French." She interrupted him. It was obvious her previous annoyance had yet to wear off. I do believe it was the "in you" comment that had put her in such a foul mood. "And my name is Kitty. You can't call me that."

"Something special between you and the man of tin?" John nodded sagely. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he offered me a toothy grin. He, naturally, did not know if she knew of my X-gene, nor did he know if she happened to be human or not. I shouldn't have been surprised at his lack of tact, yet somehow I was.

"Yes." She snapped, and I felt my cheeks flush. She was only saying that to tease them, I was sure. Remy and John exchanged another glance.

"Petey has a _femme_ of his own, huh?"

They started laughing once more.

"More than either of you could ever get." She huffed. "Lemme guess, you two are lovers? I'm, like, thrilled."

"Is she PMSing? We weren't _that_ annoying, mate." John shook his head, as if she were insane. She let out an angry growl, and stomped, fists clenched at her sides. "See what I mean?" She shot him another glare, and stormed out of the room.

"You upset her." I stifled a small laugh. "She is easily set off."

"When did you get the guts to shack up with some girl, hmm?" Remy looked at me. "Last I heard, you weren't interested in the girls."

"Are you implying that you thought I was gay?"

"… Maybe."

"I am not."

"So we can see, mate."

"It is not like that with _Katya_." I explained.

"Sure."

"Jokes aside, what are you doing letting a human girl live with you, _homme_?" Remy's gaze was serious now. "That ain't the best idea. What are you gon' do when you're called away for missions? When the Boss has just one more person to hold over you?"

I frowned.

"Comrade, I had thought of this. We are very lucky that she is not a human."

"She's a mutant?" John looked at me.

"_Da_." I nodded. "And I am protecting her. She was attacked by a member of the Friends of Humanity. I would prefer to keep her safe."

"Now, let's get this straight." Remy sat down without invitation. "She was attacked?"

"Not quite so literally." I admitted, thinking back to the dark bruise on her arm. "But, it frightened her enough to run away, _da_? They found some way to detect new mutants. He knew before she did."

"_Merde_." Remy frowned.

"You can say that again, mate." John leaned against the door with a heavy sigh. It was rare for my comrades to be serious in those days, but when something required it of them they could manage.

"I was planning on informing you as soon as she was settled enough that I felt comfortable leaving her alone in the apartment." I told them.

"How'd you meet her?" Remy asked.

"On the street." I was prepared to refuse to offer any more information. Remy obviously sensed my unease with the subject and dropped it rapidly (I'm sure in part to the fact that he did not know her powers yet, and had no idea if she could hear him).

"We just came by to let you know the Boss Man has a mission for us in a couple of days. Something about rescuing some Friends captives." John stretched. "We'll hit you up a couple hours early, get coffee or something."

"Like inform you of the actual plan." Remy rolled his eyes.

"Winging it is more fun!"

"Winging it is how people get killed." I reminded the pyromaniac gently.

"Danger's also more fun."

They let themselves out, arguing with one another about some new subject already (I thought I heard Kitty's name mentioned more than once, leading to the easy deduction of the topic at hand). Once the door had clicked, the petite brunette popped out of my bedroom.

"Ugh. They were, like, way annoying." She sat down on the couch next to me, snatching the remote from my lap. "Honestly, I would have totally thought they were cute if they didn't greet me with totally awkward comments."

"Are you usually this unnerved by such things?"

"Well… No." She turned pink. "I just… I'm not that kind of girl. I don't like people claiming I am."

"Remy and John mean no harm, _Katya_."

"Yeah." She was quiet for a moment. "If I tell you something, you can't tell anyone. Ever. You have to keep this secret forever."

"Alright."

"I'm totally serious here."

"So am I."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"I've never even had a boyfriend." She blurted out. "Never had my first kiss. How, like, pathetic is that? I'm sixteen, a senior in high school, and I've never even been kissed. Heck, the only time someone danced with me was at this, like, stupid dance and he did it on a dare!"

"You are… embarrassed by this?" I questioned incredulously.

"Wouldn't you be?" She grumbled. "Guys like that remind me of all that- my, like, lack of experience. I mean, there was one guy I liked…"

"Oh?" I was surprised to feel jealousy rising in my stomach.

"Lance Alvers." She rolled her eyes. "Turned out to be a total hood that only wanted in my pants. Ugh."

"You should not be embarrassed by your innocence. Many find it endearing." I commented lightly.

We sat in silence, watching the flashing television. After a moment, she looked at me.

"Do… Do _you_ find it endearing?" She mumbled.

"Uh…" I stared at her. "_Da_."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up.

"I would not lie to you, _Katya_."

"I'll make popcorn. Let's have a movie night!" She changed the subject rapidly, running through the couch to the kitchen to make our popcorn. I found myself thinking of the way her pretty blue eyes lit up when I answered as the dull sounds of popping met my ears.

She was far more than endearing.


	4. Leaving

**Chapter Four : Leaving**

The second I saw her, I knew something was off.

She was wearing the clothes she had worn when we first met. That was the first sign that something was wrong. I had never seen her wear anything but the shirts she had borrowed as pajamas after eight. She was sitting at the kitchen table, picking nervously at her nails and chewing her bottom lip.

"Is something wrong, _Katya_?" I asked softly.

I shouldn't have been able to guess so easily that something was bothering her after knowing her for only two weeks. I should not have so easily picked up on her nervous habits- picking at her nails and chewing her lip- nor noticed the strange choice in clothing.

It was a good thing that I had.

"Yes." She looked at me. Her beautiful face was contorted in sadness. "I… Peter, you've been so… so _nice_ to me. And you don't even know me."

I raised an eyebrow. I had no idea where this was leading.

"You've been nicer to me than anyone- well, anyone but my parents. And I…" She looked down now, staring at her picked-over nails. "I've been lying to you this whole time. Two whole weeks. And I've used your stuff, worn your clothes, eaten your food. And I've… I've been lying!"

She looked at me, and suddenly I realized there was more than sadness etched into her expression. There was fear, too, as if she expected me to be angry.

"This is what upset you?" I asked. She nodded. "_Katya_, I do not expect you to reveal all your secrets to me."

"But this is something I should have told you." She sighed softly. "I didn't ever tell you why I ran away. It's kinda important… Something some people wouldn't necessarily think was… right…"

I was utterly lost. I think it showed on my face, because she gave a sad little giggle. When she looked at me, I realized this was incredibly difficult for her. I couldn't fathom why.

"Oh, Peter…" She shook her head slowly, as if she didn't know if my confusion was good or bad. "You're so innocent." I had never heard myself described quite that way, particularly by one so innocent herself.

"When I left, I didn't tell my parents where I was going." She admitted softly. "I didn't even _tell_ them I was going. I just… took off." She looked up to gauge my reaction. "You have to understand… I was scared. I didn't know what was happening, who I could trust, what anything meant."

It was the longest I had heard her speak without the soft valley girl lilt invading her speech. It was surprising to me that I almost preferred her natural way of talking, almost preferred to hear "like" or "totally" every other word.

"I was supposed to be at school. Instead, I walked to the bus station, bought a ticket for as far away as I could get, and tried not to look back." She sniffed. "I miss them. My mom and dad."

"I… am sorry, _Katya_." I suddenly understood. She was leaving. Going back to wherever she came from. I didn't know why, but the thought sent a pang of sadness through my chest. I had grown accustomed to having her cheerful persona in the apartment. I had grown to enjoy the soft sounds of the radio floating through the previously silent house, or the sound of her laughter over the dull noise of the televisions.

"Peter…" She sighed softly. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but then shut it. She looked helplessly at me. I stared back. I should not have been so sad at the thought of her leaving. It should have made my life easier. It should have relieved my stress. I should have encouraged it.

"I… I was heading to school, walking actually." She bit her lip. "I didn't wanna buy gas for the car, and I lived right by the school. I knew I shouldn't have gone at all. I had woken up… in the basement. Like I had been sleepwalking or something."

I raised an eyebrow. I didn't exactly see how this pertained to her story, which didn't matter all that much. Because she was leaving. There was that strange pang again, tearing through my chest.

"On my way, some totally weird guy was following me. It was way creepy, and I thought about just going home. But I thought I was just being silly, that it didn't matter." She grinned at me. "I was wrong. He grabbed my arm, spouted some crap about how I was, like… an abomination. He told me I was scum, a lousy stain in the gene pool."

I looked down and saw the skin over my knuckles was white. My fists were clenched. I was furious that someone would treat someone so kind and young in such a way. I could recall a healing bruise on her arm, the one she had laughed off and told me to mind my own business. Once more, I was beyond angry with this anonymous man. So angry that I almost missed the implications of her words.

"I… I was scared." She sighed softly. "I just wanted to get away. I tried… And he was stronger than me. It was like the only way to get away would be to go through him…" She stared at me with imploring eyes.

"And… And I did. I fell right through him, proving his point. And then I ran." She looked at me now, and caught my shocked expression before I could rearrange my face into a more neutral look. She frowned.

"I… should have told you, I guess." She sighed. "I hoped it was a fluke. A one or two time deal, you know? But… It just happens sometimes."

"_Katya_… You were ashamed?" I looked at her.

"Wouldn't you be?" She shot back. "I've always been the geeky smart girl. Always been different. And now, on top of it all, I'm a lousy freak."

"You are not a freak." I looked at her. "A genetic difference does not make you a freak, or a bad person, or- as your _friend_ put it- an abomination." She looked at me, an undeniable hope shining in her eyes. "You are still a very kind, very smart, and obviously brave young woman."

"Th-Thanks, Peter." She smiled weakly. "I… I was so afraid you would hate me. I mean… Most people would… That's part of why I haven't called my parents yet. What will they say?"

"They will continue to love you, as any parent would." I replied.

"What if they don't?"

I had no answer. She looked me.

"Doesn't it, like, bother you a little?" She asked softly.

"Of course not." I stared at her.

We sat in silence for a short while. She just looked at me.

"Why?"

I couldn't help but smile a little as I allowed the metal to shift over my skin. Her eyes widened and she let out a small gasp as I stood before her, fully armored up.

"As I said, _Katya_, there is no shame in being a mutant."

"You're- You're a mu- But- And I was so-" She spluttered. "I was scared to tell you I was a mutant and… And you were a mutant all along?"

"Well, this certainly didn't just appear." I couldn't help a laugh.

She stared at me for a moment, and then hesitantly joined in on my laughter. After a moment, we were both in hysterics. Over nothing, over everything, over this silly little situation in which we had both been so blind.

"So you simply left, without a plan? Without any hope for anything? No way to even get home?" I asked her when the laughter had died away. She nodded sheepishly.

"Peter, he obviously knew who I was and where I lived." She pointed out quietly. "I couldn't, like, just run home and be like "Hey Mom, some creeper is totally following me". What was I supposed to do?"

"Call the police and tell them he was harassing you, considering he was." I replied softly. "Saved some of your money."

"But it all worked out for, like, the better." She shrugged. "I mean, I met you, right? That's a great thing! It's so worth, like, anything I had to go through."

"_Katya_, you have known me for two weeks." I pointed out. "You cannot know that yet."

"Says who?" She raised an eyebrow. "You've been such an amazing friend to me. Nicer than any other person outside of my family has ever been. So, technically, it so is. Because now I have a friend."

I stared at her.

"You are very insightful for one so young."

"It comes with the honors programs." She shrugged.

I felt myself relaxing as I realized she had no plans to leave. The little beam of sunshine would continue to float through my usually dark world. It was a warming thought. I felt a smile turning up the corners of my mouth.

"Well… At least I'm not trying to hide things from you anymore." She sighed. "And I can try to figure out how to use this stupid power."

"It is not too difficult to learn if you can already control it somewhat." I told her with a grin. She smiled back, and shrugged.

"Well, I've been trying to stop it, not use it. So I wouldn't know."

With that thought in mind, she gave me an impish grin, and rushed at me through the table. I leapt back in surprise, certain she would run into me. It was a strange feeling as she passed harmlessly through me. I spun around to stare at her as she met my eyes.

"Whoa!" She spun around. "That was kinda fun. I could, like, get used to this whole mutant thing."

I couldn't help a good natured smile. Her enthusiasm was endearing. I was surprised when she threw her arms around my waist (as she couldn't reach my neck) in a tight hug.

"Thank you, Peter."

"Piotr." I corrected her absent-mindedly as I wrapped my arms around her in return.

"Whatever. I like Peter better." She rolled her eyes, and pulled out of the hug by going straight through my arms. I couldn't stifle a laugh at the delight in her eyes. "Hey, Mister, you may have known how to use your powers for awhile, but mine are new! This is exciting stuff!"

"I was not making fun of you." I smiled.

"Oh." She giggled. "My bad."

I could have easily let that moment last forever. An easy conversation flowing between us, secrets out in the open, a cozy night.

But time moves. Time will always move.


End file.
